That night, in anticipation of the Thiruvathirai festival, Ayyarappar and the Lady who fostered virtue made their grand procession through the broad, colonnaded streets of Thiruvaiyaru. Upon a chariot fashioned of silver to resemble the snow-clad Mount Kailasa, the Lord and His Consort were adorned and enthroned in splendor. The sight called to mind the sacred mountain shrouded in silvery mist.

At the head of the procession marched elephants, camels, and mighty bulls. Upon their backs, enormous drums and kettledrums thundered, their reverberations echoing to the eight corners of the world. Following them, in ordered ranks, came those bearing various sacred emblems. Groups of musicians played a multitude of instruments, their melodies rising in harmonious waves. Here and there, dancing courtesans paused to perform, their graceful movements enchanting the onlookers before they moved on.

Nandi Bhagavan, Chandikeswara, Vinayaka, and Muruga with his consorts Valli and Deivanai each journeyed in their own resplendent palanquins. And at the very end, Parvati and Parameswara, seated together upon the Kailasa chariot, bestowed their divine presence upon the gathering.

Further behind, the choir of Devaram singers advanced, accompanied by veena, mridangam, cymbals, and other instruments. They sang the sacred Thiruppadigams of Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar, their voices blending with the music as they walked. Before and behind, thousands upon thousands of people filled the streets, moving slowly with the procession. Each was absorbed in their own way: some gazed in wonder at the elephants and camels, others listened raptly to the music, some watched the dances of the divine courtesans, but most were entranced by the sight of the deities themselves, overcome with devotion and praise.

As far as the eye could see, hundreds of blazing torches illuminated the night, transforming that extraordinary divine procession into a vision from a dream-world.

From the upper balcony of the Chola palace, Kundavai, Vanathi, and Poonguzhali watched the spectacle unfold. From the first elephant bearing the drums to the last of the Devaram choir, they observed with eager delight. They watched the devotees lost in ecstasy, the common folk entertained by the many marvels, and the divine forms—from Nandi Deva to Shiva and Parvati—parading through the streets, and their hearts were filled with joy.

Amidst that vast crowd, two Chinese merchants were seen riding atop an elephant. Now and then, they would dismount from the elephant, vanish into the throng, and then reappear to climb back onto the animal.

“Aha! Are these two Chinese truly merchants? Or are they spies sent from a foreign land to gather intelligence?” Such a suspicion arose in Kundavai’s mind.

It was only natural that news of the disputes and confusions concerning the Chola royal succession, which had arisen in recent days, would have spread throughout the world. Considering this, could not rival kings have sent these spies disguised as Chinese merchants?

As Kundavai and Vanathi discussed this, their words reached the ears of Poonguzhali. That young woman said, “Devi! Those men approached me at the temple gopura entrance and asked, ‘Do you want Chinese silk?’ I told them, ‘Come to the Chola palace; princesses from Thanjai are coming—they might buy from you!’ So, if they come here, they will surely approach us. You can clear your doubts by questioning them directly!”

At that moment, Ayyarappar, seated on the Kailayangiri mount, and the Lady who fostered virtue, had reached the entrance of the Chola palace. There, the deity was halted, and rituals such as the offering of lamps were performed. After the divine procession had passed, Sembiyan Madevi and her son entered the palace. Learning that the princesses were in the upper chambers, they went there directly.

For a while, conversation turned to the grandeur of the festival. Then, the consort of Sivagnana Kandaraadithar looked at her beloved son and said, “Child! In this very Thiruvaiyaru, Appar Peruman beheld a wondrous vision and composed a hymn about it. Sing that hymn for us once. Listening to the Devara chorus did not satisfy me fully!”

The princesses and Poonguzhali gladly agreed to this request. Then, Madurantaka Devar, also known as Sendhan Amudhan, sang that hymn in his sweet voice:

“With the maiden whose eyes are like crescent moons, And the daughter of the mountain king, they sang. With flowers and water, they worshipped and praised; I followed after those who entered, leaving no trace. When Ayyaru was reached, I beheld a wondrous sight— With his beloved, gentle peahen, A majestic elephant came forth!”

“I have seen the Lord’s sacred feet! I have seen what none have seen!”

With this line, and the ten verses that followed, Madurantakan sang, utterly forgetting himself.

Those who listened, too, lost all sense of themselves. The visions that Appar Peruman beheld long ago seemed to appear before their eyes as well.

When the song ended, a deep silence settled over the gathering for a while. Then, Kundavai turned to Sembiyan Maadevi and said, “Mother! You have told me before the story of how Appar sang this hymn. Tell it once more now! Let everyone here hear it!” At the urging of the others, the venerable princess Sembiyan Maadevi began to recount that tale.

In his old age, when Appar Swami’s body had grown weak, he desired to journey to Mount Kailasa to behold the Lord. He traveled far north, but at last, exhausted and unable to proceed, he collapsed. At that moment, a venerable figure appeared before him and said, “Appare! Why do you seek Kailasa? Go to Thiruvaiyaru, on the banks of the Ponni river! That is Kailasa on earth.” With these words, the figure vanished.

Knowing this to be the Lord’s own command, Appar turned back and came to Thiruvaiyaru. As he neared that sacred place, his heart overflowed with ecstasy. He saw many devotees carrying flower baskets and pots filled with Kaveri water, all on their way to worship Ayyarappan. They sang the Lord’s praises as they went. Appar followed behind them.

Just then, at the outskirts of Thiruvaiyaru, two elephants—one male, one female—appeared. To Appar,